Tuesday 27 May 2008

Just a Vent...

The other day i was at the gas station filling up when a car pulled in to the pump next to mine. It was a fairly recent model Mercedes with all the trimmings, nice shiny rims, flashy skirt and modern detailing. That car cost big bucks...the only problem was the 3 year old bouncing around in back seat WITH NO CAR SEAT IN SIGHT. I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw this kid jumping around the back seat, up closer observation i realized there was no car seat installed in this car at all. I don't know if the car belonged to the kid's parents or if she was just a passenger in someone elses car but there is absolutely no excuse to risk the life of an innocent child by not restraining her in a car seat (or at the very least a booster seat).
I was so angry but I couldn't bring myself to say anything as one never knows these days who is holding what weapon or just how defensive and angry the recipient of my nasty words will get. I just let it go and drove off shaking my head in disbelief and praying that car wasn't in some horrible accident where surely that little girl would be seriously hurt...
What can you do in a situation like that? Would you have said something???

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:37 pm

    Ugh, I hate that. I probably would have said something. I am not sure though. I did yell "that baby really should be in a car seat" into a couple's car in a parking lot the other day when they pulled out nex totme and I saw mom was holding the baby and feeding it a bottle in the backseat next to the car seat...not that they cared.The car was in Chabat Gate Plaza though, and it was a young observant couple, so I really doubt they had a gun or would get violent..

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  2. That's a tough one D; I would have been pretty livid too... sad thing is I used to see this a lot when I picked Lboy up from daycare, right in the daycare parking lot! I would have said something, but I was usually running in and out, and to be honest, I don't think a lot of these parents (or grandparents, which was the usual case) spoke English very well.

    I spoke to some of his teachers at the time about what I'd seen, who said they did provide information to all parents about carseats etc, but they felt helpless to do more than that.

    Nowadays my boy even says stuff out loud when he sees kids bouncing around. Even an 8 year old knows; these people are just stupid!

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  3. Anonymous10:39 am

    Oh Karen, the DC parking lot is the worst ever! I cannot even look in other cars anymore. Also, last week I saw a woman riding a bike with her toddlerin a bike seat and NO HELMET. I told her he needs to wear a helmet, I was so horrified!

    I actually spoke to DC and once I get my car seat certification (soon!) I am going to put up a sign offering to look over car seat installs for free fi anyone wants...I hope at least some of them get the message.

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